Halloween Party
by anngraham
Summary: A direct sequel to Tatania. Arcane joins the party and finally figures out what's important in his life.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Character's don't belong to us, they belong to those who created and produced them.  
**  
Notes:** Tragically my co-author, one of my dearest friends passed away. I will miss her and her incredible writing talent more than I could ever say. This set of four little stories is the last thing we ever completed together and I dedicate it in her memory

**Halloween Party  
Part 1**

The Halloween party was in full swing, alcohol and beer flowing in steady streams. Loud music played over the intercom system, though Graham couldn't say much for Ralph's taste in music, it all being too loud for him. Still, after getting his chains caught up for the sixth time in a row music wasn't foremost on his mind. Course, the ten beers he'd consumed might have something to do with his lack of co-ordination.

"What, what are you again?" A voice slurred nearby, a fresh beer bottle thrust into his hand.

Graham turned to look a tall, green thing in the face, "er, Jacob," a hiccup interrupted him, "Jacob Marely." At the blank look on the green thing's face he sighed in annoyance, waving the beer bottle around, not noticing as a fair amount sloshed out. "You knows, the Ebezz .. Ebnes .. er, scrooge guy. His, his, ghost partner."

"Whatever you say, bud!" stumbling off towards the beer the alien guy brushed past him. Gulping down what was left of the drink in his hand Graham surveyed the room. A good number of the Doctor's employee's had shown up for the party, and all had dressed up. Too bad Dr. Arcane wasn't here, his employer had sneered at the very thought of celebrating what he called an 'idiotic and juvenile excuse of a holiday'. Graham was more than a little worried about the Doctor, the man hadn't been himself since his wife had died. He knew Dr. Arcane thought he had him fooled with the mask he put on but Graham could tell he was still hurting. If only there was some way he could help.

Shaking off his sudden depression Graham waved over at Stella, who was over in the corner, drinking something pink and made up as Bo Beep. There were werewolves and vampires, ghosts, aliens, and every weird thing in between. Graham could even swear he saw one guy dressed as a teletubby, *not drunk enough for that!* Giggling he retrieved another beer, shrugging into the crowd to do a little mingling.

Thus he missed the sound of the lift door hissing open and Dr. Arcane stepping out, a disapproving expression on his face at the sight of all the costumes. Course, someone had to have the brilliant idea of having a limbo at that moment, so Graham was attempting to keep his chains from dragging him down as he shimmed under the pole when he spotted his employer. Promptly falling flat on his ass and being booed out of the game.

Wincing, rubbing his sore bottom Graham ambled over towards the Doctor, grabbing another beer on the way. Pausing to grab another before continuing. By the time he made it to Arcane's side the man glared at him, anger and irritation barely held in check.

"I trust you are enjoying yourself Graham," snarling, Arcane tapped his foot impatiently.

"I am," smiling happily, oblivious to the Doctor's displeasure Graham trust a beer towards him. "Here's you go, Sir, got one for you."

"How lovely," Arcane took the offered bottle gingerly, dropping it in a nearby plant, "American beer, a beverage to truly torture the taste buds." He looked back to his assistant, seeing the man chugging his beer down, without having to take a breath. "I rather think you've had enough Graham," the Doctor pried the bottle from the man's grasp.

"Hey," indignant Graham made a grab for his beer. Stumbling on his low-lying chains he fell against his employer, sending them both to the floor in a tangled heap. Stunned silence reigned until with a laugh Graham grabbed his beer bottle that had somehow managed to land upright. "It didn't break!" giggling Graham stared down at the Doctor's disbelieving face.

"Get off me, Graham," shoving his assistant off him Arcane lost no time in scrambling to his feet, looking around quickly to see if anyone had noticed the fall, pleased when it appeared as if no one had. Sighing faintly he gazed down at Graham, who had the air of a man who wasn't about to move. "You cannot pass out on the floor Graham!" nudging him in the ribs.

"Don't wanna move," groaning Graham didn't bother to open his eyes, "Am comfy right here!"

Shaking his head Arcane briefly considered leaving Graham right where he was, but his conversation with his dead wife had left him feeling vulnerable. Graham was perhaps the only person left in this world that truly cared for him. It wouldn't be too much trouble to at least ensure his assistant got a good night's sleep. Plus, the last thing he needed was a sulky and hung-over assistant.

Wrapping an arm around Graham's waist he heaved the man upright, almost staggering under his weight, "you could help a little you know," he gasped when Graham stumbled, "if it's not too much trouble."

"Yes, Sir," sighing, Graham opened his eyes, doing his best to straighten up and walk unaided.

"Leaving already," a bright voice inquired, "Oh hi, Dr. Arcane, I didn't know you were here."

"Just taking Graham here to bed," Arcane forced a smile at Stella, "he's about ready to pass out."

"I, I denys that!" Graham slurred, grinning at Stella, "Have I mentioned, I love your - your costume," winking he tripped and would have fallen if not for the Doctor's grip around his waist.

Giggling Stella helped Arcane pull Graham towards the elevator, "I think you should listen to Dr. Arcane Graham."

Pouting Graham allowed himself to be lead, half sagging against his employer when the elevator started moving causing further dizziness. Sighing, snuggling trustingly against the man's warmth, Graham gazed adoringly up at Arcane, who registered the usual dose of affection he got from Graham. *He is a good chap really, at least he seems genuinely fond of me.* Arcane registered a slight sense of shock, *I could even fancy that he ...feels strongly for me. Surely that couldn't be what Tatania meant?*

Keying in the pass to his door, his assistant choose that moment decide he couldn't walk anymore, forcing Arcane to all but carry the man through the door. Of course his mind persisted in worrying about the riddle Tatania had set before him, 'looking in the wrong place' and 'look around you'. *What's that supposed to mean, 'look around me' .. the only thing I see is a drunk assistant. And as to looking in the wrong place, I've searched through more women than I can count. None have understood ... only you Tatania my love. And Graham of course ...* Arcane stopped that thought in his tracks, this was the second time in so many seconds that his assistant appeared to be the answer ... but that couldn't be, could it?! and surely that solution couldn't the cause of the sudden lightness in his heart.


	2. Chapter 2

Arcane was breathing heavily by the time he hauled Graham over to his bed. Dammit, the man was heavier than he looked. He dumped Graham down onto the silk bedspread and looked down with no small measure of disapproval as his assistant sprawled on the bed. Giggling, Graham was definitely giggling. *I swear I'll never let him drink again. *

Arcane made room for himself to perch awkwardly next to Graham, who certainly seemed able to take up a lot of space. He looked at his assistant's smiling face with something close to amazement. Graham did seem to have a remarkable capacity for happiness, at least on occasion. *How does he manage that? * He thought. *What is there to be happy about in this world? Certainly not the way I treat him. Poor little bugger! *

Graham seemed to have gathered his wits a little, he pulled himself up into a clumsy seated position. He gazed around owlishly, mouth gaping open. "I'm in your rooms Sir."

Arcane sighed, "Amazing powers of observation Graham." He felt taken up by an almost unprecedented sense of mischief. He let a wolfish grin cross his face and leant over to play with the chains that dangled from Graham's wrists. Arcane jangled the cold metal meaningfully. "Perhaps I was suddenly overwhelmed by the sight of you all decked out in your bondage gear." He purred.

Arcane reached up and pressed his hand to the side of his assistant's face, enjoying the embarrassed flush that showed there. This was turning out to be an enjoyable game. He moved a little closer to Graham so that their bodies were pressed together. There was something about the warmth he felt, the strange sense of pleasure in the physical contact, that made this feel like more than a game. There was even a certain sense of...arousal was it?

*I've been through too much tonight,* he thought, *meeting Tatania has unsettled me. THIS can't be what she meant.*

Arcane pulled away from Graham, putting a physical distance between them. He took a deep breath to finish calming himself and tried to get back to a more rational state of mind. "Interesting story, 'A Christmas Carol'," he mused out loud, "not that sickly Yuletide goodwill of course, but the bit about living for the moment. Perhaps we should Graham, none of us know how long we have and the world is a dangerous place." For a moment he let himself brood, knowing that his eyes had started to cloud over. *Enough of that.*

He glanced over at Graham, who appeared not to have been listening. He was decidedly glassy eyed. Arcane jabbed him with a bony elbow, "Graham," he snapped.

Graham hiccupped, "er, yes Sir, what?"

"I was talking to you."

"Er..."

"Oh never mind."

Graham started to struggle on the bed, trying to get up but not making much headway. Arcane put his hand firmly on his assistant's chest. "What are you doing man? Lie down."

Graham wriggled uncomfortably, embarrassed. "Dr Arcane I really have to...er...I mean I've drunk so much beer. I REALLY have to..." He finished, desperately.

There was still something of the mischievous in Arcane, he grinned a little cruelly at Graham's obvious distress. "Perhaps I should just chain you to the bed and leave you here." He ran one of the chains through his fingers and cast around as if looking for somewhere to anchor it.

Graham groaned and wriggled even more desperately. Then a thought occurred to him and he smiled smugly up at Arcane. "But it's *your* bed, Sir."

"Good point, Old Chap, I think you've found the fatal flaw in my plan."

Seeing Graham's increased restlessness Arcane decided that this was no time to play. Not when he had imported silk bedding to protect. He dragged at Graham impatiently. pushing him through the bathroom door with an impatient shove. He then turned away, intending to leave his assistant to it.

"Sir?" Graham said, plaintively.

"Dammit, what now?"

"There's all buttons and things, I can't figure out how..."

"Oh bugger this!" Arcane turned back to his assistant who was, by now, jiggling from foot to foot as he pawed ineffectively at his flies. Arcane checked out the button fastening, "don't you even know how to undress yourself?"

Graham whined at him, "Please Dr Arcane."

"Yes, all right. Just hold on. And try to keep still." Arcane manage to unfasten the complex set of buttons and turned Graham round in the right direction. "Now you are on your own."

Still, he waited in the bathroom doorway, in Graham's current state there was every chance of him falling over. He seemed none too steady on his feet.

*How have I come to this? * Arcane wondered, *that my only friend is this incompetent little twerp. * He reflected on his encounter with Tatania, and had to blink a few times to prevent tears prickling in his eyes. *No, no more self pity. * He thought, * at least you do have a friend, you do have someone in your life - however inadequate. * There was a song wasn't there? From his youth? That Tatania used to like. He vaguely remembered, *If you can't be with the one you love...*

When Graham came out of the bathroom, a little unsteady but still upright, Arcane looked him up and down and sighed deeply. Slowly, almost unwillingly he put his arms round his disheveled assistant. Graham gave a little, incoherent squeak. He risked looking up into Arcane's eyes, for a moment he saw such sadness in their grey depths that it gave him courage. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing." Arcane winced at the pathetic tone to his own voice.

"Nothing." He added more strongly. "I want you to stay here tonight."

It was an order, not a request, but Graham would not have resisted anyway. He enjoyed the feeling of having Arcane's arms around him. He'd been hugged by his employer before, but not like this. He relaxed into the strong grip, responding to the warmth and closeness.

Arcane felt a growing hardness in the flesh pressed against his thigh. He raised an eyebrow and grinned down at his assistant, who was blushing. Trying to reassure him Arcane ran his hand down Graham's back until he was stroking his arse, rather overdressed in heavy, layered costume. He pressed hard against Graham, feeling the hardening swell of his erection. Quite impressive really, given how drunk the man was he'd have expected a case of brewer's droop.

He maneuvered Graham over to the bed and began to undress him. Poor sod looked totally bemused and he wasn't sure that his attempt at a welcoming smile was helping. Still Graham was so drunk and he was suddenly so tired that he wasn't sure they were going to be embarking on much of a sexual adventure tonight. Not exactly going to set the Thames on fire, as they used to say back home.

Arcane felt an unexpected tenderness for Graham as his assistant ineffectually tried to struggle out of his clothes, causing more delay than actually being helpful. *Strange little chap, * he reflected, *surely not what I would have chosen for a friend. Or a lover.*

He ruffled what there was of Graham's hair while they both struggled to strip him down to his underwear. Arcane draped the chains over the end of the bed, "these might come in useful later," he said. He grinned a little at the slight look of alarm that crossed Graham's face.

"Never mind old chap, I'm sure we can amuse ourselves with other things first." He finished undressing, standing naked over Graham who lay spread-eagled on the bed. Graham's eyes widened as he saw that The Doctor's arousal matched his own, he couldn't restrain a drunken giggle as Arcane moved onto the bed next to him and slowly pulled down his boxers.

"Sir, are we going to..ahum...I mean...?"

Arcane guided Graham's hand to his own, growing, erection. "No Graham, we're bobbing for apples," he exclaimed. "Of course we're going to."

Just as Arcane moved into position to silence Graham's annoying twittering with a kiss he finally remembered the song that had been at the back of his mind. *If you can't be with the one you love...love the one you're with. *

Arcane brushed his lips against Graham with a tenderness he hadn't known he still possessed. *Thank you Tatania. And goodbye.*

The End


End file.
